A Thousand Years
by beautifulimmortal
Summary: Kol's love for Leah has transcended centuries, but why does she not remember him? And when they are reunited, will Klaus' newfound feelings for his brother's lost love stand in the way? Kol/OC/Klaus
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

_The day we met ..._

I was dreaming. I had to be. I could not find a single explanation to justify what was happening otherwise. I was surrounded by fire, encircled by a ring of flames. Dancing orange and yellow flames flickered upwards towards the sky, ten foot in the air. I was trapped, ensnared by a fiery inferno, yet I did not feel the intense heat that should have accompanied this unnatural fire; I was protected by something as the flames did not seem to even near me let alone touch me. Curiosity got the better of me and I reached out my hand towards the flame, expecting for them to be burnt, but I felt nothing, not even a sting.

It was then that the chanting begun in a language foreign to my ears although I was fairly certain it was Latin. It sounded like some kind of spell being spoken in a soft voice that I recognized as a woman's. The speaker was either invisible or hidden behind the flames so I did not know their identity. However, after a moment or so, the flames decreased in size and ferocity in front of me, opening to allow me out. As I moved towards it, making a break for freedom, I found my way out barred by a shadowy figure. I realised then that the fire had not been diminished to let me out – it was to let someone, this mystery person, in.

I stood transfixed in the centre of the circle, unable to move, my feet planted firmly on the ground as the figure, darkened by shadow, moved towards me. Behind them, the flames on both sides of the opening were reunited and my escape was gone. I was trapped as the figure moved closer towards me. There was silence except for the sound of the flickering flames and my own panting breath. The figure stopped in front of me, their face imperceptible, completely silent and formidable.

'_He is death_,' murmured the speaker who had been the source of the earlier chanting.

Before I had a chance to let those words sink in, the figure, who must have been the 'he' the voice was warning me about, reached out suddenly and grabbed me by the throat, his fingers tightening around my neck. I gasped for air, wanting to scream for help but not having the breath to do so. I could only stare on in terror as he drew closer, the eyes glowing, the mouth displaying glistening fangs. The grip around my neck loosened and I thought that he was being merciful but this was only so that he could place his lips on my neck and puncture my neck with his razor-sharp fangs. I could scream at last and I let out an ear-piercing screech.

'Leah!'

My eyes flew open and I sat up straight up in my bed, my shoulders clutched by a figure sat next to me. I let out another scream before the figure shook me and my vision refocused. I was silent as the figure turned out to be my twenty-seven year old brother, Cal, with a concerned look on his face and worry in his sleepless eyes.

'Leah, relax, it's me,' he said in a raised voice as though he was worried his voice would not carry over another scream.

I struggled to get my breath back so I spoke to my brother in gasps. 'Cal ... I ... _fire_ ... '

'It was just a dream, Leah,' he said reassuringly. 'You were having a nightmare again.'

Despite having gotten my breath back, I found that I could do nothing to reply but nod. My brother and I had moved to the town of Mystic Falls only a week ago and even though I was still bitterly resentful of our move, I was determined to make a new and fresh start. However, every night since I had moved to this town, this house, this room, I had been plagued by the same nightmare, haunting every moment I closed my eyes to drift to sleep. My behaviour had not gone unnoticed and Cal was adamant that I should see some kind of shrink. Maybe I was going mad ...

I shifted in my bed and stared into my brother's eyes which were identical to mine: a bold and almost electric green. 'I don't understand why I keep having the same dream, Cal. It's ... scaring me.'

'It scares me too,' he admitted. 'Do you know how _terrifying_ it is to be woken up in the middle of the night by you screaming? '

'This never happened in Tennessee ... ' I murmured in a bitter tone.

Cal rolled his eyes at me and looked away, out of the window next to my bed. 'Still mad at me?'

'A little,' I admitted. 'Cal, how long do you reckon we'll stay here before you pack us up like you did then?'

'I don't know, Leah. Maybe we can stay here. This could be our permanent home. The job looks good, ideal for you. The town seems welcoming.'

'That's what you said about Tennessee,' I pointed out. 'We had lives there, we had friends and yet we packed up all our stuff to move to another state.'

Cal spoke next in a quiet, contemplative voice. 'You know why we had to move. We couldn't stay in Tennessee, not after ... '

I brought myself to say the words he couldn't. 'Not after Mom and Dad died.'

About two months ago, a terrible accident occurred that rendered Cal and I orphans. Mom and Dad had decided to go on a weekend hiking trip to the mountains in Tennessee, leaving my brother and I to our own devices back at home. I had stayed at home while my brother had gone out to a party so it was me who had answered the door to a grim-looking pair of police officers. It was me who had to be helped to my feet after my knees buckled upon learning that my beloved parents had been the victims of a vicious animal attack just a few hours ago. It was me who had to gather all of the courage within me together for almost half an hour to call my brother and tell him to get home so that we could grieve together. I must have cried about twenty years' worth of tears that night, cradled by a shaken Cal who would later mourn in private so that I would not see him sobbing. Because there was no one else to take guardianship of me as I was only seventeen at the time, Cal became my legal guardian and he felt it best that we make a fresh start after burying our parents. I disagreed at first, but now I was coming around to the fact that this move to Mystic Falls could mean the start of something, something new, something I had never experienced before.

'Now,' Cal said, breaking the tense silence, 'you'd best get some sleep. You've got school tomorrow, don't forget.'

'Like you could let me,' I said, mustering a grin.

Cal laughed, 'Wouldn't want you falling asleep in _my_ class now.'

'Yeah, about that,' I murmured coyly. 'What do I call you in class?'

'Let's start with Mr James, shall we?' he chuckled and kissed my forehead. 'Goodnight, Leah.'

'Night, Cal,' I murmured and watched him walk out of my room, running his fingers through his hair, a dark reddish blond. I sighed heavily and relaxed back into my bed, allowing my eyes to close and silently praying that I would not be plagued by the nightmare I knew was lurking somewhere at the back of my mind.

* * *

I woke up rather early the next day considering the events of the previous night. It was as if my body was willing me to go through this new start and my first day at Mystic Falls High was the first step. I got dressed before having my breakfast and picked my outfit with careful precision. Once I was dressed, I gave my appearance the once-over in the full length mirror in my room and was satisfied; my mother had always said that first impressions were not always everything, but I thought it best to make notable exceptions, for instance starting a new school where you are judged and classified from the moment you walk through the classroom door. I had chosen a green short-sleeved shirt and a pair of black jeans, topped with black boots and a leather jacket. A long pendant was at my neck and my earrings were showcased by my fiery red hair which had been left in its natural waves. I took a breath and exhaled, deciding that I was ready to face the day and whatever it would bring.

'You ready to go?' Call yelled from the bottom of the stairs, heard through my open door.

'Coming!' I replied and grabbed my bag before heading downstairs to meet him.

Cal was dressed smartly for his first day as the new English teacher in a blue shirt with a black tie, his hair suitably tamed and his face cleanly-shaven. Once he saw me, he smiled encouragingly and gave me a warm hug, lifting me off my feet and causing me to laugh out loud, something I hadn't done in so long.

'You look great,' he said as he settled me down on my feet. 'Ready?'

'Ready as I'll ever be,' I smiled and made my way to Cal's car. The car journey was rather short and once we had arrived, I looked at the building, adorned with red banners and about a hundred students on the grounds. I got out of the car and cast my eye over the school and the students, some of whom stared at me or threw me a fleeting glance as they busied themselves with their friends or getting to class.

'I'll meet you back here at the end of the day, okay?' Cal's voice alleviated me from my wandering and I turned to look at him. 'Do you ... Do you want me to walk in with you?'

I rolled my eyes in despair at my brother. 'Cal, I'm eighteen, not eight. I can walk in to the big, scary school by myself.'

'Fine,' Cal said, holding his hands up in defeat. 'I'll see you around then.'

'Okay,' I agreed. 'Have a good day ... Mr James.'

At his laugh, I turned round and made my way towards the main building, avoiding stares and glances here and there. I felt eyes boring into me and my step somewhat quickened until my body collided with another, that of a young blond boy who was wearing a football jersey. He was startled and turned to face me, his blue eyes locking with mine instantly as he held out a hand to steady me.

'You okay?'

'Yeah, I'm fine. I wasn't really looking where I was going. Sorry about that.'

'Don't worry about it,' he shrugged off my apology. 'Not meaning to snoop, but are you new here, by any chance? It's just ... I haven't seen you round here before.'

'You're very deductive,' I chuckled and held out my hand. 'I'm Leah, Leah James.'

He took my hand and shook it firmly. 'Matt Donovan. Pleased to meet you, Leah.'

'Likewise,' I said, smiling at him. 'Now, I know myself far too well and know that I'm going to get lost. Can you perhaps show me around?'

'I'd be honoured,' Matt said. 'Do you have your class schedule with you?' I fished through my bag and, upon finding the piece of paper which was slightly creased, handed it to him; he then scanned the words written there and smiled again, a glowing smile that was one of a kind. 'Well, your luck is in. You're in the same homeroom as me.'

Matt gave me back my schedule and I nodded. 'I wouldn't say I had the best luck in the world, but today may be an exception.'

Matt laughed and started to walk towards the building, me by his side. He started chatting away about his friends and the school entwined with questions about how I liked it here in Mystic Falls and if it was weird that my brother was going to teach here. I answered his questions and smiled along with him, but I could not help but notice that someone was watching me. I had the same feeling that eyes were boring into me, but this time, it was only one pair and I looked up to find the source – a very handsome young man about twenty or thirty feet away from me, with dark hair and eyes with a lean build, dressed in black. He was watching me intently, observing my every move as though savouring each step I took. I squinted to get a better look at his face, this mysterious stranger in the distance.

'Leah? You all right?' Matt asked.

I turned to face him away from the mysterious young man. 'Sorry, Matt. I was miles away.'

Matt smiled at me and we continued on our route as though nothing had happened. I turned back to see the stranger once more, but he had vanished into thin air. My brows furrowed and I thought of his eyes, dark and mysterious. Was he really there? Maybe I _was _going mad ...

* * *

Kol had not expected to see her, not here, not now. He had come to the high school on a whim to see what innocent girl he could convince to let him wine, dine and drain. Then again, he could compel any girl of his choosing, but sometimes, Kol preferred to use his charms and wit to seduce women before using his vampire powers. He thought about how his charm and wit had won her heart before and smiled despite himself, remembering her fondly as he always did. Everything in his life reminded him of her. He had glimpsed the high school students fleetingly, not spending more than a few seconds on each pretty face.

And then his eyes fell on hers. Those electric green eyes that set his dead heart racing like a jackrabbit.

Kol's lips broke into a smile as he took in her fiery red hair, wavy this time; it had been curled and straight, short and long. He remembered every single one of her looks, but there was nothing he treasured more than her eyes, the colour of which he could lose himself in again and again. He froze when he noticed that she had seen him too, their eyes locking despite the great distance. He remembered the first time he had seen those eyes and he found that his emotions had not changed at all since that time.

Kol was not certain what life she led now, what memories she had, even what her name is, but there was one solitary thing that he had never been more certain of.

The love of his very long life had returned to him once more.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

_Frozen, I held my breath ..._

Silencing students' conversations as I entered places was soon becoming an all too familiar thing which was made very clear to me as I wandered into the homeroom, trailing after Matt. As soon as I was past the doorway, conversation stopped between the students gathered there and all eyes in a variety of colours fell on me. After the darkened eyes of the strange man outside, these colours were too murky, too cloudy. My thoughts turned once more to the strange young man. Who was he? Why was he staring at me? And how did he manage to disappear so quickly as though he had simply vanished into thin air?

'All right, all right,' called the voice of a blonde girl as she barked at her classmates. 'Gawping much?'

At her words, the rest of the students settled back into their discussions, some now in whispered tones. The blond girl with light blue eyes and dressed in red and black then turned triumphantly to face Matt and I, smiling brightly at the both of us, hands firmly crossed. I returned her smile, having decided a few seconds ago, almost immediately, that I liked this girl.

'Don't mind them,' she told me. 'You're fresh meat. By tomorrow, they'll have moved on to someone else.'

'You're hoping it's you, aren't you, Care?' laughed Matt beside me.

The girl shrugged and dissolved into giggles before holding out her hand towards me in a friendly gesture. 'I'm Caroline Forbes, by the way, if Matt hasn't mentioned me already.'

'I haven't had time, Caroline. She's barely been in the school for an hour.'

I grinned at both of them and stretched out my own hand to shake Caroline's. 'Leah James. Nice to meet you, Caroline.'

Caroline motioned to Matt and I as she strutted confidently to a group of people that I could only assume were her friends. Instead of following Matt, I tagged along after Caroline, my new guide. I felt fresh smiles be projected at me as I stood in front of four new people, their eyes more welcoming than I had ever anticipated.

'Guys, this is Leah James,' she said in a assertive voice as though my name was being heralded before gesturing to each person individually with a flick of her wrist. 'Let me introduce you to my friends. Elena Gilbert, Bonnie Bennett, Tyler Lockwood and Stefan Salvatore.'

I acknowledged them all with a nod and noted them carefully. Elena was one of the most strikingly beautiful girls I had ever met; her long, straight hair swung like a curtain and her brown eyes were almost sparkling. Bonnie was grinning at me amidst her dark curls and shot Caroline a look as she chuckled under her breath at her friend. Tyler was the archetypal jock, wearing the same jersey as Matt, with black hair and a smile that I could only describe as wolfish. Finally, Stefan was a chiselled, brooding young man with his hands clasped together and a slightly less welcoming smile, not showing his teeth.

'So, where are you joining us from, Leah?' Caroline asked curiously, settling me down in an empty seat next to the group.

'Caroline,' Elena and Bonnie chastised at the same time; apparently, this was a recurring thing.

'What?' Caroline said instantly as though she had no idea what she had done wrong; she then turned to face Tyler and raised an eyebrow. 'What did I do?'

'You didn't let the girl breathe, Care,' Tyler laughed and by the way he was looking at her and the coy smiles they traded with each other, I could tell that they were an item, as were Stefan and Elena. I was acutely precise when I came to picking up on small hints of body language; Cal had often referred to it as one of my many weird talents.

'It's okay,' I assured him. 'I'm from Tennessee. My brother and I moved here about a week ago. He's the new teacher here.'

'What about your parents?' Elena asked curiously, her voice calm and collected. 'Are they here with you or back in Tennessee?'

I had braced myself for that question many times but now that it had finally been aired, I was not quite sure how to properly react. I bit my lip nervously and fixed my eyes to the floor, thinking about my deceased parents and how they were still in Tennessee, only sleeping under the earth, side by side.

'My ... My parents died,' I managed to croak in a voice rendered hoarse by even the memories of tears. 'Two months ago.'

There was silence then as eyes shifted from one another, but I could not stop looking at Elena; she stared at me with a saddened expression, but it was one that signified that she knew what I was going through, as though she had been through it herself. Without saying a word, she understood my pain, my suffering.

'I'm so sorry,' Bonnie aired what the others were thinking.

'It's okay,' I said. 'It's ... hard, not having them here, not being able to talk to them ... but I think this can be a new start for me.'

The six teenagers surrounding me all nodded and looked at me reassuringly, throwing me encouraging smiles that instantaneously told me that I was safe here. I had gained friends here and I knew deep inside me that something was waiting for me here. I did not know exactly what that thing was, but it could not come soon enough.

* * *

'You've certainly got a spring in your step, Kol,' Rebekah noted as Kol walked past her upon arriving back in the mansion. She wore a quizzical look on her beautiful face, one eyebrow raised, her lips pursed, as her eyes followed Kol from the moment he put one foot past the doorway.

Kol could do nothing but grin as he made himself comfortable on one of the long sofas. 'Nothing to concern yourself with, little sister.'

'Well, it seems at last that something has entertained you.'

'Not so much entertained me,' Kol said, unable to keep his grin from growing any more.

Rebekah leaned forward so that she was staring Kol straight in the face, her eyes penetrating, a look that had cost many a man his life over the centuries. 'Spit it out, Kol. You're starting to frustrate me now.'

'Now, there's a change,' commented Klaus as he strolled into view, folding his arms and leaning against the doorframe, watching his younger siblings in earnest. 'What's Kol done now, Bekah?'

'Apart from smile, nothing,' Kol defended himself light-heartedly, earning him a dagger-stare from Rebekah and a chuckle from Klaus.

'Come on, Kol,' Klaus said, joining them, leaning against the sofa. 'You've garnered my interest now. Out with it.'

Kol sighed and looked at both his siblings in turn, lingering on their eager expressions, savouring every tense moment before he murmured his answer to the long-awaited question in a light voice that had been heard by his siblings at pivotal times over the years.

'She is back.'

Rebekah's mouth dropped open in surprise and Klaus' eyes narrowed as though he was trying to process what Kol had just said. Kol was slightly amused at his siblings' reactions and suppressed a laugh as it took them both a few minutes to come to their senses and fully react to Kol's announcement.

'She's back,' Klaus murmured under his breath, echoing Kol's words as though a second time would make the news clearer to him.

'How long?' Rebekah asked simply.

'How long what? How long has she been here or how long have I known?'

'Both,' she demanded impatiently.

'I went to your school today,' Kol explained. 'I wanted to get my good skills of charm and compulsion into practise. You know, you don't get much chance to when you're daggered and left in a box for a good hundred years.'

Klaus rolled his eyes in an irritated way. 'Get over it, Kol. Now, you were at the school ... '

'Right, I was there. And ... I just saw her. She was there with Rebekah's boy toy, Max or whatever his name is.'

'Matt,' Rebekah shot him the correct name.

Kol shrugged; it made no difference to him. The only name that really mattered to him now was the one she had been bestowed with in this life. He had to know it.

'Now,' he said, getting to his feet, 'if you'll excuse me, I've got better places to be.'

'And a girl to win over,' Klaus added. 'Yet again.'

Kol tutted at his older brother and left the mansion once more. He had not seen her beautiful face, her dazzling eyes in over a hundred years; the last thing he remembered before being daggered was the sight of those eyes, filled with tears, and he had lost track of her then for so many years. He had to know her.

* * *

My first day at Mystic Falls High had ended as soon as it had started and I found myself walking to my brother's car with a lithe step, smiling all the way. I had just left Elena and Caroline in my last class of the day, who had both promised to come over to my house later that night and take me to some place they liked to frequent, something called the Mystic Grill. I had laughed at this – did everything of note in this town have the word 'Mystic' in front of it? Surely they could have been a bit more inventive.

'Hey, Leah,' Cal said from his car. He had a stack of papers under his arm, indicating that his first day had been as productive as mine, maybe even more so. I joined him and helped him place his things safely in the trunk. 'Thanks, sis. So how was your first day?'

'Great,' I told him. 'I made some friends.'

'Good, that's good. What are they like?'

'They're ... friendly.'

'Really?' Cal said, raising an eyebrow. 'Due to your literature-worshipping brother, you've grown up with an extensive vocabulary and the only thing you can think of to describe your newly-met friends is _friendly_?'

I playfully shoved him and laughed. 'Well, I've only just got to know them, but, yeah, they're nice. They actually offered to come over tonight and we could go out.'

'Out where?' Cal enquired curiously.

'To this place called the Mystic Grill. According to one Caroline Forbes, I need to experience all that Mystic Falls has to offer, granted it's not much.'

'Forbes? Did you say Caroline Forbes?'

'Yeah, she's cool,' I shrugged. 'Why do you ask?'

'Her mom's the town sheriff,' he filled me in. 'She told me that I should come to some sort of council meeting when it comes up. Something to do with the community and founding families. We're new blood.'

'Fresh meat,' I added to his grin. 'Cal, is it okay if I meet you back at home?'

'You sure you don't want a ride?'

'Nah, it's fine. I could do with a little walk. I can better acquaint myself with my ... my new home.'

Cal's expression softened then as he took in my words. I smiled at him appreciatively. I could get used to this town, this new place. It wasn't home, but it could be. It wasn't the place where most of my memories resided like oak trees, but it could be the place where fresh ones could grow like flowers in the spring.

After Cal drove off, I sighed and started on my journey. I had not paid much attention on the ride here earlier today so I did not know the exact route to my own house, but I decided that it was best to wander and explore than busy myself finding a definite path. I wandered and ambled down many streets, spotting numerous houses that did not look familiar at all, but that was the fun of my decision: I was getting to know this new place just as I was getting its people. After a while, I was getting to grips with my new environment when I felt a presence behind me; someone was watching me. I turned and found myself staring at an empty street with not a single person in sight. Thinking that my mind must have been playing tricks on me, I turned back on my heel and ended up staring straight into the eyes of the same young man who I had spotted this morning.

'Good evening,' he greeted me in an English accent that was as pleasant as trickling water in a stream; something in that voice was comforting in a familiar sense as well as having the ability to knock me for six and make me weak at the knees.

'Can I help you?' I asked in rather a guarded voice.

He took a step back and almost grinned, holding his hands in mock surrender. 'I'm sorry, I must have startled me.'

I snorted at him. 'You didn't startle me, but now, I can see that the size of your ego is truly frightening.'

He raised one eyebrow and looked me up and down as though he was assessing me, before he spoke again. 'Well, you certainly are feisty.'

'It's one of my more redeeming qualities. Now, if you'll excuse me – '

'Forgive me, but if I may be so bold – '

' – and I assume you're bold anyways, but continue,' I said as I started to walk again with this guy keeping up with me persistently.

'I was going to ask for your name.'

I stopped in my tracks and glanced at him; his face was honest enough in all its boyish charm and perfection, but there was something well-hidden behind those eyes that made me think twice about him.

'Are you on the Mystic Falls welcoming committee?' I asked in a snarky voice that sounded a little teasing.

He grinned and shook his head. 'Not quite, but for you, I'm as good as.'

I tried not to smile too much at that. 'So, what about your name? Do I get to know that?'

'My name is Kol,' he said finally.

'Kol,' I ran his name over my lips, liking the feel of it. 'That's a cool name.'

'Sounds even better when you say it,' he murmured under his breath so quietly that I had to strain to hear it; thankfully, he brought his voice back up to its regular volume. 'So, I've told you my name. And you can tell me yours.'

'Like a trade?' I offered.

'Yes, like a trade,' he played along. 'Now, what's your name?'

I waited for a few moments before I stared him straight in the eyes, rendering myself lost in their deep, dark colour. There was something strange about the effect those eyes were having on me; they held within them a strange familiarity and I felt safe, comforted by them as if I had known those eyes – and the man they belonged to – for a very long time. It was strange and completely unheard of, but I could not fully explain it.

'Leah,' I whispered. 'My name's Leah.'

Kol seemed thrilled by this, his grin breaking into a smile that showcased his perfect teeth. 'Leah ... ' he mused softly. 'Wonderful, wonderful ... So tell me, _Leah_, how long have you been in Mystic Falls?'

I started my walk again and this time, Kol did not interrupt me; he kept with my pace alongside me, his eyes never leaving my face. 'I've already given you my name. I'm gonna be breaking every rule my parents ever instilled in me about talking to strangers.'

'I'm not a stranger,' he said as though he truly meant it. 'I'm Kol, we met about five minutes ago. We're officially acquainted.'

'Fine,' I gave in. 'My brother and I moved here about a week ago.'

'You have a brother?' Kol enquired, seeming genuinely curious.

'Yeah, his name's Cal. Do you have any brothers, Kol?'

'Three, actually, and a sister. I live with two of my brothers and my sister.'

'That sounds like a well-organised little family unit,' I noted.

Kol laughed and shook his head as something I had said had obviously greatly amused him. 'Honestly, you have no idea. Elijah's the oldest, he's about as boring and righteous as they come. Niklaus is someone I can get along with perfectly well and then want to kill ten minutes later. And Rebekah's a handful, always has been.'

'Such old-sounding names. Elijah, Niklaus ... '

'And Finn too, but he doesn't live here. He skipped town with our dear mother a while back. Can't forget about old mummy's boy Finn.'

I smirked at him and he returned it with a short laugh. From my observations, Kol had a certain way of talking about his family that was clear as day to me; there was a lucid underlying resentment towards them, but he cared about them. They were his siblings, his family.

'Listen to me,' he said. 'Rattling off about the dysfunctions of the Mikaelson family. Maybe I should change the subject ... What would you like to talk about?' I shrugged, not having a particular point of conversation in mind, and he smiled again. 'No matter, we'll have plenty to talk about later.'

'Later?' I echoed. 'What happens later?'

'I pick you up at around eight, we go for drinks and we talk about whatever crazy stuff is on our minds. It's what people call a date.'

I froze, trying to catch my breath back. A date? With Kol? I barely knew him, but then again, a date would be a perfect opportunity to get to know this over-confident yet extremely handsome guy. I did say that Mystic Falls was a fresh start.

'You seem very confident that I'll accept.'

'You're not going to?' he asked, feigning shock, as he knew full well that I would not do that. 'Come on, Leah. What's the worst that could happen?'

'I don't know. Maybe you could be some raging psychopath.'

'I could be, but you won't find that out for yourself if you don't come. I know that your curiosity knows no bounds.'

I could not help but grin at him as I found myself nodding. 'Okay, I accept. But I'm meeting some friends in the Mystic Grill first, so you can meet me there.'

'Sounds good to me,' Kol said. 'I'll see you there then, Leah.'

'I'll be the one who looks totally lost,' I said as he stopped walking and I started a few paces forward, walking backwards so that I could be facing him.

Kol stepped forward and took my hand in his, bringing to his lips and leaving a lingering kiss there. 'And I'll be the one waiting to find you.'


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, readers! This is my first Vampire Diaries fanfic and I particularly love Kol and Klaus so I decided to give them an OC with a rich back story which will be revealed in later chapters ...**

**REVIEWS PLEASE!**

* * *

Chapter Three

_Right from the start ..._

'Now, green is definitely a colour that looks good on you. It's a perfect contrast to your pale skin and that beautiful red hair. Gorgeous by the way. Are you sure that's definitely natural?'

I laughed and nodded as Elena put the finishing touches to my aforementioned locks which had been curled and scooped up into a simple yet stylish ponytail. Caroline was busying herself with the contents of my wardrobe, throwing items onto my bed I could tell she was preparing to force me into. Elena and I faced Caroline who had by now finished, hands on her hips, now sifting through the pile on my bed. I watched her work, her facial expressions vivid and ever-changing as she held up item after item of clothing before tossing it away. Eventually, she found what she was looking for with a little squeal of excitement – it was a short-sleeved green dress that my mom bought me a couple of years ago. Caroline then paired it with a black leather jacket and shoved the clothes into my arms before frogmarching me to the bathroom so that I could get changed.

'Thanks for doing this by the way,' I called through the door as I changed out of my outfit and shimmied into the dress, knowing that Caroline would be anxiously waiting on the other side.

'No problem,' Elena answered. 'Clothes are important to Caroline.'

'Of course they are. People judge you in the first three seconds of meeting you and that judgement is not going to be made due to a dysfunctional outfit.'

Once I was safely zipped into the dress, I opened the door, pulling on the leather jacket to complete the look. Caroline was grinning knowingly and Elena smiled at me encouragingly.

'You look great,' Elena said.

'Great?' Caroline echoed. 'She looks _hot_. She'll certainly turn a few heads in the Grill.'

I giggled and made my way back into my room. 'I've never been one for turning heads, Caroline.'

'Well, you should be,' she said firmly. 'Take a leaf out of my book and you'll be fighting off guys by the end of the night.'

I blushed and reached for the ornate jewellery box next to my mirror. I found a pair of gold earrings and a ring, gold and set with emeralds, that had been left to me by my grandmother. I was ready to go out and face the world, my new home. I was also readying myself for my second meeting with Kol, my date with him. I could feel butterflies flitting in my stomach and I found my cheeks reddening at the mere thought of the handsome stranger from earlier that day. What was this strange effect he was having on me? I wasn't usually this giddy around boys, but it was as if he sparked something off inside of me, something I could not and did not want to control or understand.

When we arrived at the Mystic Grill later that evening, we found it to be filled to the brim with locals, mostly young who all seemed to know Caroline and Elena as they were greeted with smiles and salutations from the moment they walked in. They looked me over and smiled cordially but to them, I was the new girl. I wasn't the popular Caroline or the adored Elena. I wasn't anyone yet.

'Caroline, Elena, Leah,' called someone from a table on my right. It was Bonnie who waved us over. 'Over here, guys.'

The three of us joined Bonnie and Tyler and Stefan followed suit a short time later, greeting their girlfriends affectionately and hugging Bonnie and I. I could not help but let my eyes wander, resting on every individual face, looking for that certain someone ...

'Leah,' Elena said as a young boy, a little younger than the rest of us, stood there in a Mystic Grill shirt with brown hair and a helpful, youthful face. 'This is my little brother, Jeremy.'

'I'm not your _little_ brother,' Jeremy said in a mock annoyed tone and reached across the table to shake my hand. 'Nice to meet you, Leah.'

'Likewise,' I said and turned to the rest of the group as I fished for my purse in my bag. 'So who's getting the drinks in?'

Caroline slapped my hand away from reaching in for money. 'You're not paying for your drink, Leah. We are. In fact, we're going to pay for your drinks for the whole evening.'

I looked in astonishment to each face which echoed Caroline's sentiment. 'Are you serious? Guys, you really don't have to – '

'Yes, we do,' Bonnie said. 'You're the honoured guest tonight.'

'It's your first night out with us in Mystic Falls,' Elena agreed. 'Think of it as a celebratory thing.'

I shook my head in surprise and watched as Tyler got up to help Jeremy get drinks; I stood myself and protested that if they were going to pay, I would carry them. I then walked with Tyler as Caroline fell over herself trying to protest, eventually giving up on the advice of Stefan and Elena and becoming quiet, shooting me only a knowing amused look.

'What'll it be?' the bartender said as Tyler and I reached the bar, leaning against it.

Tyler rattled off a list of everyone's orders and when we were served, I took half of them and made my way back to the table. However, my balance was not as steady as I would have liked and I found myself falling with no way to stop myself. Thankfully, as if on cue, someone was there to expertly catch the drinks before they had a chance to smash to the floor. I however was on my knees on the floor, keeping my eyes to the ground as though it would keep me from being more embarrassed than I already was. A hand stretched out and I took it, being helped to my feet and meeting those dark eyes when I reached my full height. Kol was smiling at me and kept hold of my hand as though he was prepared to catch me in case I fell again.

'Are you all right?' he asked.

'I'm fine,' I said. 'Just dying from embarrassment. Did everyone see that?'

'I think so,' he admitted. 'But don't worry about it.'

I bit my lip nervously. 'I'm too clumsy for my own good, that's my problem.'

'It's not a problem. You're only human. Besides, I need something to tell me that you're real.'

'Why's that? Do you not think I'm real?'

Kol looked me straight in the eye, staring straight into my soul. 'You can't be. You're too perfect to be real.'

I could not stop myself from blushing at this and smiled at him. He returned my smile beautifully and looked down at the bottles and drinks in his hand, raising an eyebrow as he lifted his head back up to see me.

'Something you want to say? I could get you help if need be.'

'They're not for me,' I said. 'They're for my friends.'

'Good thing too. I was wondering whether or not to stage an intervention.'

I took some of the bottles off him and started to walk back to the table, but noticed quickly that he had not taken even a step. 'Aren't you coming?'

'I thought we were going to be ... alone.'

'Well, my friends are here too. I'm sure there would be no problem with you sitting with us for a little while.'

'It's just ... I don't really like other people.'

I rolled my eyes at him and beckoned him forward with a nod towards the group. 'You don't like people?'

'Yeah, I'm much more of a lone wolf.'

'Sometimes, a wolf needs to be in a pack.'

'That's a terrible analogy,' he said.

'Look,' I huffed, 'come and sit with us. Please?'

Kol waited for a moment before he sighed and followed me towards my friends. The strangest thing then occurred once Kol and I neared the table, having made it past the many people there. Once they laid eyes on him, their expressions abruptly changed to disapproval and in some cases, aversion. I frowned at this sudden change in their expressions.

'Here you go,' I said to break the tense silence.

'Leah,' Stefan said in a soft tone that was almost warning. 'What's _he _doing here?'

I turned to face Kol who was staring at each of them individually with distaste. Confusion flooded me and I faced my friends once more. 'You know Kol?'

'We know him, all right,' Elena said with an icy chill in her voice that I never would have expected. 'Him and his family.'

'What about him and his family?' I said, a little defensive.

'Apparently,' Kol spoke up, 'we're bad news.'

From the scowls and glares from each one of my new friends, Kol was seriously making an understatement. I turned back to him, hoping for a little more depth but he held up his hands in defeat, looking at me meaningfully.

'Don't worry about me. I'll be out of your hair in a few moments.'

'Kol – '

'It's okay, Leah,' he said. 'We can reschedule our date. Wouldn't want for you to spend your first outing in Mystic Falls with someone like me.'

With that lingering in the air, he turned on his heel and left, disappearing amidst the masses of people. I resumed my seat, a little saddened, and took a sip of my cola. Everyone seemed to relax now and there was a little voice in the forefront of my mind that was begging me to ask what was wrong with Kol and his family.

Elena was the first to speak and break the restarted silence following Kol's departure. 'Sorry about that, Leah. We ... we just have a history with the Mikaelson family.'

'What's wrong with them?' I asked curiously.

'They're dangerous,' Stefan warned. 'It's best to stay away from them. People get hurt around them.'

Heeding Stefan's warning, I threw one last fleeting glance to the place where Kol had vanished and was thrown back into regular conversation by Caroline who seemed more than willingly to change the topic. For the rest of the night, my thoughts were focused on the group and conversing with them, but once or twice, I found myself thinking of the mysterious Kol and the family deemed to be dangerous. What could possibly be dangerous about Kol and his family? There was obviously something that was being kept from me, I could sense that clearly. Part of me, the sensible and rational Leah that I counted on when I needed her, was telling me to listen to my friends and steer well away from Kol, but the rebellious side, the one that I favour on more than one occasion, was demanding me to find out more about this young man and what danger he seemed to pose.

* * *

'You must be Leah.'

I had been sitting on the bench in the little stretch of grass in the centre of town for nearly half an hour and during that time, no one had said one word to me; up until then, I had been completely alone. Everyone had made their own way home and each offered me a ride, but I politely declined, choosing to sit here and make my own way home a little while later. I had been enjoying the silence of the night after the noisy atmosphere in the Grill before a voice, a man's, had disturbed the evening's stillness.

I looked up and saw a young man with black hair and very blue eyes, dressed all in black with a leather jacket like mine. He was smiling down at me, his eyes flitting over me, expecting some sort of reaction from me.

'Who wants to know?' I said.

'Stefan mentioned your name, said you were the new girl here.'

'Did he now? Well, Stefan didn't mention you at all. Should I know you?'

He scoffed, 'Should you know me ... I'm Damon Salvatore, Stefan's big brother. I'm the more charming, more handsome one.'

'I see Stefan was the only brother not to inherit the arrogant gene,' I commented.

Damon grinned and wagged his finger at me. 'I like you. You're feisty. You're a lot more entertaining than some of the other girls in Stefan's posse.'

'Make fun of Stefan's friends all you want,' I said, standing up, 'but he's not the one walking round all by himself.'

'Ouch,' he chuckled. 'I think you and I could get along just swimmingly.'

'You're really that confident?' I asked him, grinning along with him.

'That's a given, of course. Anyway, I'd best be going. I've got things to do, alcohol to consume, girls to corrupt ... '

'I'll see you around, Damon,' I laughed along with him as he disappeared into the darkness as though he belonged there amidst the shadows and the unspoken beings that dwelled within.

I made my way towards the roads, intending to take the path Caroline and Elena showed me earlier to go back home. I had had an eventful night and had grown closer to Elena, Stefan, Matt, Bonnie, Caroline and Tyler, my brand new companions. The fresh start I was looking for was indeed here. Things were certainly different here compared to Tennessee, I was certainly sure of that fact more than anything else. But what of Kol? I wanted to know more about him and still I wanted to listen to my friends' warning about him, knowing that the consequences could be far greater than I imagined.

It was this deep thought to lose track of my surroundings and it was only when I saw headlights that I stopped, frozen in the middle of the road whilst the car sped towards me, unable to stop in time to save me. I shielded my eyes to protect them from the blinding lights and knew that my possible death or serious injury at the very least was imminent, only seconds away. I screamed at the driver to stop, but the darkness had clouded their vision and they did not slow down. With one last piercing scream, I waited for death.

But death did not come for me.

I was picked up in a flash and taken to the safety of the sidewalk. Panting heavily and unable to catch my breath, I looked up at my saviour, half-knowing exactly who it was. It was Kol, who looked down at me in his arms with the utmost concern.

'Kol?' I stammered out his name as he held me comfortingly until I was over the shock.

'Leah, what the hell were you thinking?' he chastised me, his eyes blazing. 'You could have been killed.'

'I didn't see the car and it was dark and ... '

I babbled for a few seconds more until my words descended into sounds and sharp intakes of breath. Kol placed me on my feet eventually but kept a tight hold of my arms, knowing my unsteadiness. When I was finally breathing at a regular pace, I looked up at him and noticed that his eyes were gazing at me as though I was going to break at any second, as though I was precious to him.

'Thank you,' I whispered. 'Thank you, Kol. You ... you saved me.'

He nodded softly. 'You're welcome. Let's not make a habit of it, shall we? You almost gave me a heart attack.'

'Sorry,' I said delicately.

'Don't apologize for that,' he said, laughing to himself. 'Now, let's get you home.'

'I'm fine,' I protested but trying to walk by myself to prove Kol wrong turned out to be disastrous as I fell, but yet again, Kol was there to catch me.

'I may not be a doctor, but you're not fine. Let me take you home.'

'Okay,' I gave in and watched as he wrapped an arm around my waist to steady me. 'But you can't tell my brother what happened, because he'd go insane and probably never let me out ever again ... ' I noticed him laughing at me and frowned at him pointedly. 'Why are you laughing at me?'

'It's nothing. Well, it is something. Have you ever noticed that you babble a lot?'

'I don't _babble_. You try nearly being hit by a car and speak eloquently afterwards. It's not as easy as it looks, Mr Hot British Accent.'

'You think my accent's hot?' he said, raising an eyebrow in a flirtatious manner.

'Forget I said that,' I said, looking straight ahead to stop myself from blushing crimson; my mouth did run away with me sometimes. 'Just get me home and we'll say no more about it.'

'Fine,' he said, knowing that to argue with me would be completely useless. 'But bear in mind that I don't forget things too easily and I will be bringing up the fact that you like my accent.'

I grimaced as we made our way back to my house, Kol keeping up with my severely slowed pace. When we made it to my front door, he did one final check to make sure that I was all right and left just as soon as he had appeared, not before planting another kiss on my hand in the romantic style he had done before. As he did that, I was pretty sure that he was not the only one to have had a heart attack that night.

* * *

As Kol made his way home, his nerves were as steady as they had been before, but his mind was a whirring mess of past memories and thoughts. Being a vampire meant no escape from every thought he had ever had, every memory he had ever possessed, and now the painful ones were circling his head, playing in front of his eyes.

'_Mother, please, you have to save her. I'm begging you, please ... you have to do something.'_

Kol shook his head. That was the most painful memory he had; it was the one that haunted him to this very day. Her first death. It had been so much more painful than any of the rest which were excruciating to say the least. Each time she had died in his arms had caused his heart to feel like it was being ripped from his chest.

'_Kol ... I am sorry, my son ... She's gone.'_

Kol remembered his mother's voice, the soft voice that was filled with pity and sadness. It was the confirmation that she was gone that had made him hollow inside and made his heart break agonizingly. He had vowed that he would never feel like that again, but he had broken that vow a hundred, two hundred times over. He had lost count of how many times he had cried over losing her, how his rage had taken over and then the wait would begin. The wait for them to be reunited in the vicious cycle.

'_No ... No ... No! I can't lose her! No! I ... I love her ..._'


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four 

_I knew that I'd found a home for my heart ..._

I could barely concentrate in school without my mind wandering onto the events of last night which replayed in my head at every available opportunity. Firstly, my new friends had warned me about Kol and his family, having previously, for reasons unknown to me, branded them 'dangerous' and advising me to be careful around him. Secondly, I had met Damon Salvatore, a charming and arrogant young man who did not even come close to the aforementioned Mr Mikaelson. And finally, Kol had saved me from the path of an oncoming car. It was no wonder that my mind was drifting; it had so much to think about.

'You seem to be a bit out of it today,' Matt noticed as we sat outside on the school grounds, soaking in the rays of the midday sun whilst we waited for our friends to arrive.

'Sorry, Matt. I must be terrible company.'

'It's fine,' he shrugged it off. 'What's on your mind? You can tell me.'

I sighed and looked skyward as if my true answer lay within the clouds. 'Well ... Before I say anything, you have to promise me something.'

Matt grinned. 'Promise you what, Leah?'

'That you won't be judgemental and that you'll give my story its undivided attention before you jump to conclusions.'

'This sounds a little weird. Before you go on, let me just check ... You're not confessing to any murders, are you?'

I shoved him playfully. 'No, I'm not. Now, do you promise?'

'All right. I promise.'

'Okay ... Kol kinda saved my life last night.'

'What?' he cried out. 'Kol did what?'

I rolled my eyes and pouted. 'Matt, you said you weren't going to be judgemental.'

'That was before you brought Kol into the equation,' he said, a darkened look on his usually cheerful face. 'Leah, that guy's bad news.'

'That guy saved my life,' I said, jumping to Kol's defence yet again. 'A car was about to mow me down and he got me out of harm's way. I would probably be lying in a hospital bed at the very least.'

Matt took a deep breath in and put his hand on my shoulder, his blue eyes filled with concern. 'Leah, I'm glad you're okay, you didn't get hurt and I'm glad that there was someone there to save you. But this is Kol.'

'What is everyone's deal with Kol and his family?' I burst out. 'Why is everyone keeping secrets from me?'

'How do you know that we're keeping secrets from you?'

'I'm good at figuring things like that out,' I said truthfully. 'You may think you're protecting me, but it's better to tell the truth and let me handle things myself.'

Matt's voice was calm but quiet as though he did not want his words to be heard by anyone other than me. 'You don't understand. That would only be putting you in bigger danger.'

'Matt,' I said in an exasperated voice. 'Tell me what's going on. Please. Tell me.'

He looked as though he was about to give in when he spotted someone in the distance and his gaze became steely, his jaw clenched and his eyes icy. I followed his eyes and unsurprisingly, Kol was walking towards us, striding in our direction as bold as brass. His eyes locked with mine and I found my cheeks reddening and my heartbeat steadily increasing until I could have danced to the beat.

'Speak of the devil and he shall appear,' Matt murmured.

'I'm no devil, Matt,' Kol said as he stopped in front of me, arms crossed, eyes only on me, 'but before my eyes can only be an angel.'

He offered me his hand and I took it cautiously, reaching my full height, smiling upon meeting that confident grin.

'Hello, Kol,' I greeted him.

'My angel,' he said gently. 'How are you feeling today?'

'Good, thank you. I think I've recovered from last night.'

'I'm glad someone has,' he chuckled. 'I bet you loved being swept off your feet.'

'I would probably might have appreciated the gesture more if I wasn't in a life or death situation.'

'Who says there won't be a next time for that?' Kol laughed darkly.

Matt got to his feet and placed a hand on my arm which Kol noticed, first fleetingly and then his face grew tightened. He was threatened by Matt's presence here, his protective stance next to me.

'I see you've been keeping other company,' he murmured.

'What are you doing here, Kol?' Matt growled.

'Such hostility and I came here only to deliver a message to Leah.'

'Give her your message and then get lost.'

Kol took a step closer and his eyes were blazing, boring into Matt's as though willing him away with his death-like stare. 'Or you'll do what? Tackle me to the ground? Forgive my bones for not shaking, quarterback.'

'Kol,' I reprimanded, coming in between them both. 'What was it that you came here to say?'

Kol's eyes then softened as they turned back to mine and his smile became more genuine rather than condescending as it had been to Matt. 'Could I have a word with you, in private?'

I turned to Matt and looked at him earnestly; he glanced from me to Kol. 'Matt, could you give us a second?'

'I'm not leaving you alone with _him_,' he muttered coldly.

'Please. Just for a second. I'll be okay.'

Matt sighed and nodded before making his way over to our spot where I could see was now filled by Elena, Caroline, Tyler and Stefan. I could feel their eyes flicker to me and then to Kol, concern turning to fear in an instant. I faced Kol once more, eager to avoid their stares and glares.

'Go on,' I said. 'What did you want to talk to me about?'

'Our date,' he said. 'I'd like to invite you to the Mikaelson house for dinner.'

I was surprised about this and I raised an eyebrow to show this to Kol. 'Dinner?'

'Yes, I don't see the problem in that.'

'At your house? Won't your family be there?'

'They might be. They're rather difficult to evict at times.'

I laughed, knowing that this was the case with my own brother at times. 'I'd like to meet them. Your family.'

Kol seemed astonished as though this was a crazy request but he took my words in and nodded. 'Sounds ... good to me. We'll have dinner on Friday night.'

'Kol, I kinda need your address. I don't know where you live.'

'You won't need it. I'll pick you up at seven o'clock sharp.'

I smiled and he took my hand, bringing it to his lips yet again; the effect was still the same, sending tingles down my spine and my heart racing.

'Until we meet again, my angel.'

* * *

'You have a _date_?'

I rolled my eyes at my brother who was leaning against the frame of my bedroom door, watching me with a confused expression painted on his face as I perfected my makeup with a touch of eyeliner and mascara.

'Yes, Cal, a date.'

'With Kol ... ' he said slowly as though he was still trying to process the information I had given him when I told him that I would not be here for dinner.

'Yes, and he'll be here any minute so if you wouldn't mind, I kinda need to get downstairs to greet him.'

'Do I get to meet this boyfriend of yours?'

I blushed and looked at Cal pointedly. 'Kol's not my boyfriend. It's just one date.'

'That's what everyone says, kiddo,' he chuckled.

I rushed past him and down the stairs before checking my reflection once more in the mirror, the final once-over. I had chosen my outfit with care as I did not want to be overdressed yet I wanted to make an effort for my dinner with Kol. I had chosen a burgundy chiffon top and paired with a pair of black skinny jeans; I wore half of my hair clipped back and a pair of black earrings. I ruffled my hair a little for a finishing touch and turned to see my brother holding out my bag ready for me.

'Thank you for being helpful,' I said and took it when the doorbell rang, making me jump a little. 'He's here.'

'I'll get the door,' Cal said, grinning to himself, but I was faster and shoved him out of the way as though in those few seconds, we had been reduced to childish behaviour once more. Laughing to myself, I regained my composure, took a deep breath and opened the door, ready to greet Kol, my date for the evening.

However, to my surprise, Kol was not standing there. In his place stood a handsome man in his late twenties, possibly early thirties, dressed in a dark suit; he had dark hair and hazel eyes which were now exerting their full force on me. His face was built on high cheekbones, a strong jaw and a defined, aquiline nose. He looked me up and down as though he was logging each and every one of my features into his mind for future reference, or past remembrance.

'Hello,' I greeted him cordially. 'Can I help you?'

The man smiled warmly and dipped his head a little. 'Are you Leah James?'

'I am, indeed. And you are ... ?'

'Forgive me for my forwardness before even introducing myself. I am Elijah Mikaelson.'

I relaxed a little and my face appeared to show an expression of recognition as I remembered his old-fashioned yet interesting name. 'Elijah ... Kol's brother, right?'

Elijah nodded. 'I see my brother's told you about me.'

'Not really you specifically. Kol's just mentioned you in passing.'

'I hope I came off well,' he said, smiling. 'I probably should explain why I am here on your doorstep. Kol sent me.'

My heart started to pound against my chest. Why had Kol sent his brother here? Was it a rejection? That was the only reason I could think in the few seconds before I could bring myself to speak to Elijah.

'Why?'

'Don't worry, Leah,' Elijah soothed me in a calming voice. 'I'm not here to be the bearer of bad news. Kol sent me here to bring you to our house. He's having a bit of trouble with the food.'

My heart back to its normal pace, I raised an eyebrow in confusion. 'How so?'

'Well, Kol's been in our kitchen for a good two hours and believe me when I say that Kol has never cooked a single meal in his life. You should consider yourself very lucky. Or very brave to try what he has made. Anyway, he's having a few problems and lost track of the time so he asked me to come and pick you up.'

I nodded softly and turned back into the house to see Cal with a ready meal prepared to go in the microwave. He glanced at Elijah as I walked back to him to kiss him on the cheek as a goodbye.

'Bit old for you, isn't he?'

'That's not Kol, nosy. It's his older brother. I'll see you later.'

With a smile, I walked back to the door and closed it behind me, Elijah having waited patiently. He showed me to his car in a gentlemanly manner, but I stopped to admire the vehicle – a smooth silver Mercedes that was glinting even in the evening light. He opened the passenger door for me and I got in, smelling the fresh scent of the car which must have been fairly new. Elijah followed suit and made the engine purr, then roar into life.

'I hope you're going to stick to the speed limits,' I said.

'I have nothing if not a high respect for the law. Even traffic ones that prevent my beautiful new mode of transport from breaking the top speed.'

I smiled and looked out of the window as Mystic Falls passed us by in blurs of colours that raced past my eyes.

'How are you liking Mystic Falls?'

'It's good. Not exactly my home yet, but you never know. How long have you and your family lived here?'

'We lived here a long time ago, but there were ... complications.'

'Complications?' I echoed.

'Too complex for anyone to really understand so I won't bore you with the details. But the story ends back here. We came back here. Old roots, family ties, et cetera.'

I turned back to looking at the view for it only to be changed into that of a large white mansion, surrounded by greenery. The windows on the face of the house were illuminated by lights from within, along with twinkling lights embedded in the leaves of the nearby trees. My mouth dropped open at the mere sight of this heavenly excuse for a home. Surely this did not belong to one family. It was large enough to belong to several families. I glanced at Elijah who was staring at the house with no sort of reaction or emotion towards it. Was this really a home to him or simply a building that housed himself and his siblings?

Elijah pulled up outside of the house right next to a large foyer and helped me out of the car, noticing my frequent stares of wonderment and bewilderment at the house we had arrived at.

'Is this really your house?' I whispered.

'Niklaus built it so technically it belongs to him, but yes, I live here.'

'Wow,' I breathed as I followed Elijah through the doors and into a gleaming white room which played host to marble walls and pillars as well as two winding staircases. I stared upwards and found myself gaping wide open at every sight that my eyes beheld. I could never imagine living in a place like this, not without picturing myself dressing like a princess for twenty four hours a day.

'Follow me, Leah,' Elijah said, holding out his arm for me to take. I did so and he led me into a large living room, filled with every imaginable object that could have belonged to an art dealer or an extensive collector. I felt nervous just sitting on one of the couches, but Elijah insisted and offered to fetch me a drink. I asked simply for water and he obliged, telling me that I was free to do as I pleased until Kol was ready with our meal; my curiosity took hold and I decided to wander through the house, looking for Kol and yearning to discover more about the family that lived here.

I found a great many rooms on the second floor as I ascended one of the staircases, discovering several bedrooms, bathrooms and studies. However, there was one room left on this floor that I had not explored and I seized my opportunity, opening the door and finding myself in a large room that must have been the size of half of my first floor at my own house. It was filled with paintings and drawings, canvas and collages, easels and materials. It was an artist's room. I inhaled the smell of dried paint as I came across sketchbooks and an unfinished canvas of something I could not quite find the words to describe. My fingertips reached up to gently graze the canvas, to feel the paint strokes on my skin.

'Admiring my work?'

I jumped sharply and withdrew my hand, turning to face the man at the door. He had curled light brown hair and light blue eyes, a contrast to the dark of the eyes of both Kol and Elijah. His face was once again handsome and his lips had been tugged into a grin as he stared at me, some recognition forming in his eyes at the sight of me.

'I'm sorry,' I immediately burst out. 'I didn't mean to ... I mean ... Did _you_ paint this?'

He nodded and walked closer to me. 'One of my best in my opinion. Do you like it?'

'It's remarkable,' I admitted, relaxing a little but keeping on my guard. 'The fine detail, the use of surrealism ... '

'You certainly know your stuff. Are you an artist too?'

'I wouldn't say I was an artist. I like to draw, but I'm nowhere near as good as you seem to be.'

'Years and years of practise, sweetheart,' he said and unleashed a dazzling smile in my direction. 'The name's Klaus.'

'As in Niklaus?'

His right eyebrow rose a little higher than the left at the mention of his full name. 'Niklaus is the name my father gave me.'

'It's also the one Kol gave me. You're his brother?'

'You sound surprised. Why is that?'

'You don't look like him, or Elijah for that matter. You're ... fairer.'

Klaus turned away for a second, chuckling under his breath. 'I guess I should take that as a compliment. I'm the distinctive Mikaelson, let me assure you of that.'

I laughed softly. 'Well, it's nice to meet you, _Klaus_. I'm Leah.'

'Leah,' he said softly, grinning before his face turned sour and he looked back towards the door with a darkened expression, the darkness that lay behind the smile and the blue eyes. 'One moment. I have to deal with my little brother.'

He stalked off and, knowing that I meant Kol, I followed him earnestly. I picked up on the smell of smoke wafting in from one of the downstairs rooms – the kitchen. Klaus threw open the doors and I saw Kol standing in front of a blackened piece of meat that was producing a good quantity of smoke. I wanted to laugh at his expression, but Klaus' words broke through and I waited for the right time to express my humour.

'Kol,' he said in an irritated voice, 'I know you're trying to appreciate your lovely date, but I would appreciate it if you didn't burn the house down in the process.'

Kol shot a sour look in his brother's direction. 'I'm sorry, Nik, but it's not exactly like I've cooked anything before.' He noticed me a little way behind Klaus and his expression softened as he made his way over to me and kissed my hand again. 'Hello there, my angel.'

'Niklaus,' Elijah said, emerging from the adjacent room. 'Let Kol try.'

'Try to what? Engulf my house in flames?'

Elijah rolled his eyes and stood next to Klaus, chastising him with his dark eyes alone. 'Let us leave Kol and Leah be, brother. You need time to calm yourself and Kol needs time to – '

' – impress the lovely girl present,' Klaus laughed and turned back to stalk out of the doors, an apologetic-looking Elijah following suit.

Kol and I were alone at last. I turned back to him and noticed the blackened meat on the table. It appeared to me as if Kol had been attempting to cook lamb, but it had not gone in his favour. He looked sheepishly from to where my eyes had wandered back to me, still holding my hand, his thumb stroking the flesh tenderly.

'I'm sorry about this, Leah.'

'There's no need to apologize.'

'I just wanted to make this night memorable for you.'

I assured him gently, 'You have, Kol, don't worry. Now, I assume you know how to use a phone. I'm up for Chinese food if you are.'

Grinning widely, he leant forward and kissed my cheek quickly before speeding away to grab his mobile phone and call the first Chinese restaurant he could find in the large phone book hidden in one of the many drawers in the kitchen. My cheeks burned from where his lips had come into contact and I felt as though the butterflies already in my stomach were multiplying, increasing from hundreds into thousands. What was this effect Kol had on me?

The food arrived quicker than I had expected and when it did, it seemed as though Kol had ordered a banquet in order to make up for the first disastrous attempt at food. As we tucked in, he seemed to want to know every detail about me, asking me a multitude of questions that ranged a variety of subjects. He wanted to know what my favourite book was, whether I liked the winter or the summer, if I knew any foreign languages. I answered in a little remedial Spanish and gained a chuckle from him. In turn, I quizzed him about himself and he gave me detailed answers, mostly as arrogant and confidently as he could. I knew better than to believe the bravado he put on for the rest of the world. There was someone lying underneath the flashy, self-assured Kol – the real Kol I was yet to discover, the one I yearned to find out more about. However, he was guarded and I knew that it would take me a good while to work out a way to bypass the walls he kept around himself. I dared not say any of this to him. I was intuitive about these things. Maybe I was his angel, sent to save him from his inner demons and love unconditionally all the while.

* * *

'It still amazes me,' Klaus admitted as he poured himself and Elijah a drink.

'What does, Niklaus? I should imagine not a great many things amaze you these days.'

Klaus grinned knowingly at his older brother. 'It still amazes me that Kol still loves her, even after all this time. All the other times ... '

Elijah nodded pensively. 'What can I say, brother? Love like that transcends centuries as it has done for Kol.'

'What now though? The cycle will surely continue. Soon, she will be gone and Kol will have his heart broken yet again.'

'You are right, but remember, Niklaus. Kol chose this. It was his decision and ultimately his heartbreak.'

Klaus dipped his head and took a sip of his drink, mulling over a thousand different memories in his mind, all awakened and given a new lease of life when he had laid eyes on her earlier. She had not changed since he had last seen her and that had been over twenty years ago. He knew that she was a different one, that she was never the same every time. However, Klaus could see the fire in her that burned more fiercely than ever before, a fire that both astonished and intrigued him.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

_... beats fast _

Having returned Leah to her home later that night, Kol arrived back at the mansion with a even more vivacious spring in his step. Nothing that anyone could say or do to him could bring him from his glorious mood, a disposition that he had not felt in so very long. There was no other feeling in the world that could equal the one that was ruling him now – the elation that he had been reunited with her, his one love. Kol's train of thought that had begun with the image of her eyes had now reached the beginning of their story, journeying back over a thousand years to a time where Kol and his family were human, before the madness of the supernatural befell both her and the Mikaelsons ...

'_Kol, are you even listening to me?'_

_Truth be told, Kol had been ignoring Rebekah for quite a while now. His sister was stood in front of him, casting her shadow upon him as he sat there, enjoying the fresh beams of sunshine, his hands behind his head, his eyes half-open. He opened them fully now to find his sister there, hands placed firmly on her hips, a sour expression painted on her fair face. He grinned at this and folded his arms as if to mock and further provoke her annoyance._

'_What is it, sister?'_

'_I am bored,' she pouted. 'I need some entertainment.'_

'_Go and bother Niklaus then,' he said, referring to the close relationship the two of them shared. _

'_He is with Tatia,' she said bitterly. _

_Kol rolled his eyes, having reminded of the girl that had garnered the attentions of both Niklaus and Elijah and had made them fall hopelessly in love with him, even coming to blows occasionally because one claimed to love her more than the other. Finn and Kol had often had to separate the pair before serious injury could be dealt and Kol despised this. Their infatuation with this girl was costing them their relationship as brothers. Kol hoped that their squabbling would end sooner rather than later._

'_Does it not bother either one of them that she has already bore another man's child?' Kol asked inquisitively. _

'_You had better not let either of them hear you slander like that. You would defend the girl you love, would you not, Kol?'_

'_When the time comes and I have found the right girl.'_

_There were a few eligible girls that had passed by Kol, but he did not find any of them remotely interesting or intriguing; indeed, he found them plain and tedious. He was not waiting for a girl to come along and take his breath away just yet; he secretly hoped that the girl for him would appear someday when he least expected it. Besides, he did not want to be dragged headfirst down a road of despair and hopelessness like his brothers; seeing them fight had been enough to delay his wanting to fall in love for a while._

_Rebekah noticed Henrik, the youngest of the Mikaelson child, rushing towards them before he dived on Kol, the conversation about love dissolving into a play fight between them. Kol rolled over, Henrik under his arm, laughing as he ruffled his hair. _

'_Hello there, little brother,' Kol said. _

'_Let go, Kol!' Henrik huffed. 'I wanted to beat you!'_

'_Not just yet. You're still young. Maybe in a few years.'_

_Henrik sighed and turned to his sister who was absentmindedly fiddling with her hair. 'Sister, Mother wants to see you. She sent me here to fetch you.'_

_Rebekah grimaced and threw a look at Kol that would have completely shot down any comment he was preparing to make about her. _

'_I will see you later, Kol.'_

'_I'll be here as always.'_

'_You cannot honestly say that you have no work to do whatsoever.'_

_Kol sat up and released Henrik, bringing his knees up so that he could rest his arms on them. 'For your information, Rebekah, I have done all of my work for today. I have helped Father bring in the game, I have forged four swords for the blacksmith – '_

'_Well,' Rebekah huffed, 'do not just sit there, Kol. Find something useful to do with all of the time you seem to have.'_

_Grinning at his sister until she was out of sight, Kol stood up and ruffled Henrik's hair playfully, an action that made his youngest brother scowl. Henrik then found something that caught his eye and turned away from Kol, obviously easily bored of his brother's presence as only a child could be. Kol chuckled to himself and decided to take a stroll by himself in the thick woodlands that surrounded their village, wishing to immerse himself in the quiet of nature as opposed to the busy goings-on here._

_On the way deep into the woodland, he passed the ancient caves that, once a month when the moon hung full in the night sky, provided the villagers with sanctuary from the wolves that were unleashed from the bodies of mortal men. Kol had always been intrigued by the men who possessed the ability to transform into beasts and had often thought about stealing away from the safety of the caves to go closer and observe the wolves, but his parents would never allow it as every human was forbidden from nearing the wolves when they turned. The wolves lived among them as men, women and even children; it was only when the full moon shone down that they became monsters, capable of killing without a second thought. _

_As Kol stood in the middle of the forest, surrounding himself with trees tall as the eye could see, he sighed deeply and looked up at the bright rays of the sun beating down on him. Suddenly, he heard the snapping of a twig near by and he edged lithely on the tips of his toes closer to where the sound had been made. He found a deer grazing there, sheltered and hidden by the trees as it lent over a patch of fresh grass. He watched the animal cautiously and settled himself where he was only for leaves to crunch underneath his now clumsy foot. The deer reared its head in an instant and shot off in fear. No sooner had the deer raced off in fright than an object of some unknown sort had come shooting towards Kol, narrowly missing his head and embedding itself in a tree behind him. A little shaken by this brush with danger, Kol turned and scrutinized the object fixed in the tree's trunk. It was an arrow, expertly and carefully made. _

_His eyebrows fused together in confusion and curiosity, Kol wrenched the arm from the tree and stared down at it, playing with it absentmindedly. He automatically turned his head back to the place where the arrow had been fired, hoping to glimpse the would-be assassin. Only his eyes found a much more wonderful sight._

_A girl stood there, a bow in her hand and a makeshift quiver filled with several arrows akin to the one he held in his hand, one ready to fire straight at him. Her hair was the colour of flames, a shade of blood red that he had never seen in his life, which fell to just past her shoulders in soft curls. Her flesh was pale with just a hint of colour on her cheeks and lips which were a tinted pink. However, his eyes fell on hers – a green that was so vibrant, so full of life that he could not possibly bring himself to describe it and do it justice. _

_Almost at once, Kol realised that he had found what must have waiting to appear._

* * *

The next couple of weeks flew by without my noticing. I had made firm friends with the group who had first welcomed me on my first day, Matt and Elena in particular. Elena and I got on especially well because we understood each other, having been through the same tough time, sharing the same kind of painful experience. Although I missed my friends back in Tennessee, I had found that Mystic Falls was just the fresh start I wanted with the friends that I could never have anticipated.

And then there was Kol.

Kol and I had grown even closer, spending many nights a week together. I felt like he understood me better than anyone else, even my brother. Sometimes it was as if he knew me even better than I did. We were still on the verge of a romantic relationship, but I felt that it was imminent. I was still waiting for his lips to brush against mine as well as noticing the looks I had caught him giving me. There was just something about him that was intriguing, mysterious, something that drew me even closer ...

One Saturday, Elena and I were at my house, relaxing and watching some of our favourite movies, some of which we shared. I knew that Elena was a confidante I could trust and a passionate friend who was capable of all feats of compassion. However, she could not seem to get her head around my promising companionship with Kol which she voiced to me in a caring tone.

'I just don't trust him, Leah,' she said, fiddling with a stray thread in one of the pillows on the end of the couch where she was sitting with me at the other end. 'Him or most of his family.'

'You trust Elijah,' I pointed out.

'That's why I said 'most'. Elijah is honourable and decent.'

'So is Kol. He's just not very open about that side of him.'

'But he's free to be condescending and arrogant.'

I shook my head, reminding myself of his arrogant and boisterous nature. 'Yes, he can be arrogant, but it's ... it's a mask. There's something so much more sincere underneath all that bravado.'

'You reckon so?' Elena asked curiously.

I nodded earnestly. 'Kol can be two different people. He's not easy to understand like Stefan is.'

Elena bit her lip and answered in a cautious tone. 'Wouldn't you like to know, Leah?'

I was about to respond to her when my brother walked through the door, carrying a crisp white envelope in his hand. I watched him curiously as he entered the living room, noting the piles of junk food and stack of films that had been and were going to be eaten and watched respectively.

'You know,' Cal said, 'it's a beautiful day outside. Nice, fresh air.'

I laughed as he threw himself onto the free couch. 'Thanks for the weather update, Cal, but we're gonna relax in here. Elena desperately needs to watch _Moulin Rouge_.'

'You've not seen it?' Cal asked Elena who shook her head in shame. 'Rookie mistake. It's Leah's favourite film of all time. If you haven't seen it, you might as well just walk away while you can before she forces you down to sit through it.'

'You speak as if from experience,' Elena grinned.

Cal faked a shudder as I laughed knowingly, my attention now drawn to the white envelope he still had a hold of.

'What's that, Cal?'

'Oh this,' he said and handed it to me. 'Apparently, you're invited to some sort of soiree.'

'How do you know? Have you opened it?'

'Relax, sis,' he chuckled before he stood up to pat me on the head, a thing he knew very well I disliked. 'I haven't read it. It's just that someone only makes invitations like that when it's something fancy.'

Cal then left us to busy himself with something else. I did not know the details because I was already enraptured by the envelope in my hand which was most definitely an invitation. My name was written on the front in the most beautiful writing I had ever seen; it even made me question whether a human hand wrote my name this elegant way.

'What are you waiting for?' Elena laughed impatiently. 'Open it!'

I smiled as I carefully opened the envelope and took out a crisp ivory invitation written in the same beautiful writing.

_Miss Leah James, you are cordially invited by the Mikaelson family to a Masquerade Ball._

Listed next were the times and dates. I added them up in my brain – it was a week today. Surely the Mikaelsons would need a month or two in order to organise a masquerade ball. Maybe not, if I combined the now-know of all of the siblings.

'A masquerade ball?' Elena's voice brought me into reality and away from my thoughts.

'Yeah,' I murmured almost to myself.

'There's something written on the back.'

I flipped the invitation over to see more writing, this time in a less elegant script. It was Kol's handwriting and the message was for me personally.

_My dearest Leah, it would give me the greatest of all pleasure if you would accompany me to the ball. Dress to the nines and meet me at the mansion. I'll be the one in the tux, looking for his beautiful angel._

I did not let Elena see that side of the envelope for very long as I held it close to my chest as though I was bringing Kol closer to my heart by allowing his words in closer proximity.

* * *

'_Who are you?' growled the flame-haired beauty, her grip on her bow and arrow not faltering for even a second. _

_Kol could not bring himself to speak. It was like all the words – and breath, for that matter – had been knocked from his body at the mere sight of her. She was breathtaking – so beautiful yet so fierce. He could tell from her expert stance and the way she held her weapon that she was no novice and was more than likely a skilled archer so he was careful which words to pluck from his slightly jolted brain as he instantly knew that she would not miss her target should she fire._

'_I'm Kol,' he said, regaining some of his lost confidence. _

'_So, _Kol_,' she murmured, running his name over her tongue. 'Just what do you think you're doing here?'_

'_Taking a stroll in the woods. I was unaware that walking was such a terrible form of trespassing.'_

_The girl stiffened and Kol's heart skipped a beat, fearing for his own life as she looked just about ready to let the arrow go. However, she relaxed and almost chuckled to herself, lowering her bow a little to take a closer look at him. She stalked forward and he dared not move although his heartbeat increased rapidly with every step she took towards him. He did not know whether this was due to fear or to ... something else entirely._

'_You're not going to shoot me, are you?' Kol said. _

'_No,' she murmured in a soft voice. _

'_How do I know that? Can I trust you?'_

'_I give you my word that I will not try and shoot you, but you might want to be a bit more careful next time. I almost got you there.'_

'_Yes, you did. Was that intentional?'_

'_To miss you?' she asked and to his nod, she grinned. 'Yes. Just to frighten you.'_

'_It certainly worked. Now, I have your word that you will not shoot me so will you please put my nerves at ease and lower the bow?'_

_The girl seemed reluctant at first but lowered her bow and put the arrow back in her quiver. _

'_What are you hunting?' he asked curiously._

'_Deer,' she said. 'I saw one a few minutes ago. I was stalking it, but you scared it off.'_

'_I apologize for my intrusion,' he said sincerely, something he had never done before. 'Perhaps I can be of some assistance.'_

_The girl raised her eyebrow quizzically. 'I can fend for myself, thank you. I had best be going. I would not want to stop in the middle of a hunt. Goodbye, Kol.'_

_She turned sharply and made her way back into the trees. Kol waited for only a second before his legs leapt into action and sped him forward to keep pace with her._

'_I am not so ready to say goodbye to you just yet,' he grinned. 'I have a question for you. What is your name? And why have I never had the pleasure of seeing you before?'_

'_That is two questions, Kol.'_

'_Well, answer the first. Tell me your name.'_

'_Hush!' she silenced him and he kept his mouth shut as he noticed her eyes narrowing in the distance. She lowered herself into a crouch and he found himself doing nothing but observing her in her element. She had found her prey and was now silently drawing an arrow from her quiver, placing it in her bow and lining it up to fire. _

'_It's too far away,' Kol whispered as he crouched to her level. _

'_Indeed?' she murmured and released the arrow which flew into the distance and hit its target without fail. The deer fell to the ground and the girl stood to deliver an astounded Kol a grin before walking forward to claim her prize._

'_That was amazing,' he said as he followed her. 'How did you learn such skill?'_

'_My father taught me as a child,' she answered. 'It is just something I have learned.'_

'_You have natural talent, no one can learn that.'_

_The girl reached down to grab the deer, but Kol was faster and heaved it into the air, resting it on his shoulders. The girl watched him curiously with those dazzling eyes, her lips slightly apart._

'_You do not have to do that,' she said._

'_Allow me,' he said in a tender voice he had never used, not even with his own family. 'We can talk as we walk.'_

'_About what, may I ask?'_

'_Anything and everything. All I ask in return is for your name.'_

_The girl sighed and looked up at him, her eyes entrancing and the best and most beautiful sight in all of his years. _

'_My name is Cara.'_

Kol awoke, his eyes flying open and his breath becoming short. His dreams were always vivid in the beginning, in the time just after he had been reunited with her. But he knew that soon enough the nightmares would come. These nightmares were not the ordinary nightmares that humans feared when they closed their eyes to drift into a dream world. These nightmares were his own memories, memories that haunted him, memories from which he could never escape.


End file.
